Winter Projects: Part Two

 These projects don't seem like they're going to last through the bleak after-holiday spell before spring.  

This is how we left things.  Both are in pretty good shape.

I used my concrete-looking contact paper on the cardboard inserts and to cover a damaged sticker "window".  A bit of spare carboard replaced the missing insert, which research tells me was a menu.  

I like the look on the white walls. Not so much on the pink.  I can understand cement lower walls with the upper part finished, but the opposite hurts my brain. I'm thinking stained glass instead.

I used floral contact paper on the interior side of the inserts.  I didn't cover the one inside the minifridge because it doesn't bother me.  It's inside-the-fridge stuff like drinks.

The only sticker on this side that needs replacing is on the oven door. 

The window over the minifridge is supposed to be a carry-out or drive-through.

Bonus points if you recognize the floral pattern as the one I used in the dollhouse kitchen and part of the pantry.  (Kitchen then traded spots with the dining room.)  

The oven door is weird.  Looking at how the wall is molded, it's just that - an oven door.  But according to the sticker, it's got another door on it and three different control pads.  This also hurts my brain.  According to my research, this was not a mistake by the original owner.  This really is the sticker intended to go here.  I thought maybe it went on one of the missing bits.  

I will just do what I did in the Star Traveler... shiny to look like an oven door window, which is what it should be anyway.  That will have to wait, like the stained glass, until Winter Storm Fern finishes rampaging through my area.

Done for now with patio grill.  

On to the ambulance.  

The gift shop shelves behind the waiting room TV were all curled up and wrinkled.

I am really not a fan of this driver's seat.  But given the architecture of the ambulance, it has to be short. Even with a made-to-move body, Jeremiah has to contort his legs sideways to reach the wheel.  He can't reach the pedals!  I'll have to pretend the gas and brakes are hand-controlled.  

Thinking about some kind of curtain between the driver and doctor space.

The cardboard on the exam-room side has a bit of damage in one corner, but nothing major, so I allowed them to keep their medicine cabinet. Might come in handy for doctoring.

Covered the gift-shop space with the floral pattern.  I'll replace it later if I find something appropriate.  

But honestly, I'll likely use it like this.  Poor Jeremiah, stretching them long legs after trying to drive.

All things considered, I'm almost done.

I need to pick up some "stained glass" and "oven door glass".

I have fabric and glue if I decide to do a curtain.

I do still need to figure out the reception desk situation.  

Loose Ends

Doll County Paranormal has a final meeting about the Witch's Cove investigation before turning the job over to a video production company.  

Jeremiah: Let's go over the data from the Raging Rapids area.  Diana's data tells us this land was originally owned by a farmer named Schmidt, and remained in the family until bought by Kida.  

Nova: Lottie reported it as a sad place and we got the photos of the white shape and the vortex of lights in this area.  The best guesses on the single EVP are "leave me alone" and "repeat the note".  There are records of several deaths, as we can expect with a multi-generational family farm in the days before hospitals.  

Esperanza: "Leave me alone" and the sadness Lottie sensed makes me wonder if there were any suicides.  But nothing on record supports that.  

Nova: We do have a few questionable deaths, but nothing so obvious as a note days after being left at the altar.   The strange thing, in my opinion, is this:  We got the photos, which indicate something very strong there, but none of the witness reports were on this side of the park.  

Kenna: It hides from the living, but can't hide from the camera.  It really does want to be left alone. 

Hagrid: Definitely more sightings at the grove by The Overlook.  Kids, mostly. 

Peeta: We ran the movement patterns through a comparison program.  Closest matches were small animal activity and children running.  And by children, the computer specified ages three to five.  

Hagrid: Them EVPs sure sound like kids laughing.  What did we decide they say? 

Jeremiah: First one is "Can't catch me", "Fantasy", or "Don't touch me".  The first and last ones seem very fitting for kids at play.  Second one is probably a response to our asking for a name.  "Antonio." But others heard "Float my boat", "Broke my nose", and "Don't I know".  

Diana:  Well, what I found in the archives fits almost perfectly.  There was an orphanage in the area.  (reads from tablet)  Hillcrest Children's Home, managed by two spinster daughters of the Chase family.  A tornado took it out in 1959.  

Lottie: It must not have been like the orphanages I read about in stories.  None of them are happy places.  

Diana: The ladies who ran the place must have been very nice.  (refers to the tablet again)  Census records list a few boys named Tony - some with Latin last names, so possibly short for Antonio.  One Antonia, in 1930.  And "broke my nose" is a fairly common complaint among rowdy children.  

****

While they talk ghosts, the Pike women enjoy the newest luxury at Windu Acres.

Morgan: I could've used a hot tub back when I was digging up bones for a living.  Academic life is making me soft.  (pokes at her belly)  I've been slacking off on workouts since Candy left.   What is with her, running off to war zones and disaster areas every chance she gets?

McG: She always had an overdeveloped sense of adventure.  I'm pleased that Rose-Grace is more of a homebody. 

Rose-Grace: Hey, don't put the mothers of your grandchildren into competition!  (they all laugh)  She's not comfortable staying in one place long - that's why she divorced Pike when he left the military - but I wish she'd satisfy her wanderlust by selling her photos to travel magazines instead of news magazines. 

Morgan: Probably the result of growing up in foster care.  They move kids around so much. 

Rose-Grace: You'd be amazed how many of those moves are for the kid's safety.  The screening for foster parents is nowhere near as good as it should be.  (pointedly changes the subject)  I heard a rumor that you were applying for Mrs. Moneybags.

Morgan: Mom wishes.  You'd think after getting eight grandchildren out of my brother, she'd leave me alone, but no.  My biological clock is driving her nuts.  

McG: I just mentioned the idea.  As a topic of idle conversation. 

 

Memories and a Mask

Jeremiah and Nova work on Doll County Paranormal's report for their Witch's Cove project. 

Nova: I think we can edit out the bit where Frodo and Peeta are talking about Peeta being a fairy.  We all know that's playful banter, but if this is going into a video for Pocahontas to sell in the park, that could cause problems.

Jeremiah: Not sure how you can do that without editing out the problem with the sensors falling over.  

Nova (listens to the audio): Wait, Peeta calls himself a fairy.  I think we can safely leave it.  

Lottie:  Daddy, I want to be in the video.  Maybe I can get famous.  

Jeremiah: I don't know about that.  Our medium being a little kid, that might open a whole can of worms.  Not to mention the way you'd get teased at school. 

Lottie: I already get teased at school.  And you can put one of them misclaimers Nova was just talking about. Tell watchers that I got all them eighty million tests and stuff. 

Nova: She has a point.  You really can't use a medium without showing her, not with any credibility. 

Jeremiah: Nova, you're not helping! 

Lottie:  Oh, how about a special features called meet the medium! That'd be a big misclaimer! 

*****

Later, they record some footage for the video with Diana and Pocahontas.

Jeremiah: You don't need to introduce yourself, we'll put your name and credentials across the bottom of the screen. 

Diana:  Okay, then, I'll dive right in.  Barbieville was founded as part of the early 1800s Utopian Movement.  The land that eventually became Witch's Cove Amusement Park was divided into farm plots by the founders. 

Diana:  Only the hills directly bordering the stream were known then as Witch's Cove. The roads leading into the property from the north still bear the names of Hadley, Carson, and Handler.  The Carson and Handler families intermarried and it was their joined land that became the original park.  I'll let park owner Pocahontas Smith take it from here. 

Pocahontas: The land had been farmed poorly and the crops were failing.  My grandparents, in danger of losing the property, agreed to host a traveling carnival.  Their daughter Kida, my mother, fell in love with the owner of the carnival and with the idea of owning a permanent park.  Despite being left to raise two daughters on her own, Kida succeeded. 

Pocahontas: The area in the northwest corner was recently added to the property and we're currently rebranding.  We changed the name to Witch's Cove, a traditional name for the area, and the spinning barrels are now cauldrons.  We bought more land and installed the Windigo, with plans for more rides to come.

Pocahontas: The stars on the 1812 map indicate areas of note to the medium, Lottie Russo, who has consented to help me point them out on a modern map.  Lottie? 

Lottie climbs onto a chair to reach.  

Lottie: The grove in front the Overlook.  People see children in old-fashioned clothes playing here, but when they look closer, the kids vanish.  I felt like this was a happy place. 

Pocahontas: The only other location in the park Lottie sensed spirits was here, near this curve on the Raging Rapids ride.  Lottie, is this also a happy place?

Lottie: No, it felt sad.  But no place in the park felt mean, and that's very good.  We're going to find out who your spirits were when they were people and maybe help them go wherever they're supposed to go.

****

Albus gives an account of his own experiences in the park.

Albus: I've been here since the start.  Came with the carnival and never left.  My official title is Head of Ride Maintenance, but I do a little bit of everything.  The girls couldn't run the place without me.  It'd all just fall apart.  (laughs) Anyway, about the ghosts.  I have seen children in the off-limits areas, but when I go to run them out, no kids are there.   I never noticed how they were dressed, though.

Albus:  I was out by the log ride earlier and found this mask.  Just in case it comes up in any of the pictures.  

 

The EVPs

 Jeremiah tells the team to listen closely to the audio files from Peeta and Frodo's equipment.  

Peeta: Do the motion sensors first.  I'm sure we got something there, the way that one kept falling despite being weighted.  (The data comes up on Jeremiah's screen.  It's like a flatlined heart monitor, but the line wiggles slightly before a large jump.  The pattern repeats twice.)  That was me making it stay upright.  We stepped out of range and started doing EVPs.

The line on the screen remains flat, except for rapid bursts of small spikes. 

Jeremiah (to Esperanza, the team rookie): Normal footfalls, like Peeta and Frodo would have made, don't look like that.  Might be small animals.  Remember, we never assume it's paranormal until we've eliminated all other possibilities.  

Peeta: We put down the powder.  No paw prints.  

Frodo:  The EVP we got definitely isn't animals.  Give it a listen.  (To Esperanza) Electronic Voice Phenomena.  

Jeremiah cues up the file.  Frodo is heard asking any spirits to talk to him, then a distorted voice is heard.  The voice is followed by distant childish laughter and Jeremiah pauses the recording for input from the team.  

Frodo: Can't catch me.  

Jeremiah: I hear "fantasy".

Esperanza: No, it's "don't touch me".  

Jeremiah (to Esperanza): You see how we all hear it differently.  That's the norm.  A clear EVP is rare.

The recording continues with the laughter and Frodo asking "who are you?" Jeremiah pauses it again after the voice, or a similar one, responds.

Jeremiah: Antonio?  Did we just get a name? 

Nova: Sounds like "don't I know" to me. 

Frodo: Float my boat.

Hagrid: Broke my nose.

Esperanza: Man, this is nothing like those ghost shows.  They're always like "oh, yes, a kid named Antonio dropped dead in this very spot in 1834".  

Hagrid: They get the history and stuff beforehand, don't they? They're listening for certain things.  It's like that thing with faces, para-doily, but with ears instead of eyes.  This way we'll know it's probably Antonio if we find an Antonio in the history.

Jimin: That's why we avoid places like Lizzie Borden's house - everyone knows that story, everyone has opinions, so they're likely to hear what they want.  (laughs) I saw on one of those shows, they insisted the EVP said "Lizzie killed me" but it sounded to me like "feta cheese".

Ken:  Normally all we can make out is vowel sounds and tone.  It's like back in the day, when everyone was hearing devil messages in records played backwards.  What we do is note what our impressions are and then compare to the history.  

Esperanza: Play that last one, the one from near the log ride. 

Nova: Hey, that's my husband you're bossing around!  (To Jeremiah) Play it.

Jeremiah plays it. 

Jimin: Leave me alone.

Esperanza: Repeat the note.  

Results Are In

 After gathering data, Doll County Paranormal gathers in the Overlook to corollate the data.  

Jeremiah:  EMF readings seem normal, except for the unusual spikes Hagrid noticed.  Esperanza, do we have any sources of electro-magnetic energy around there? 

Esperanza:  That's the lightning bolt and magnet marker, right?  We've got two of them at the Windigo, and Kenna said they were right under the tracks at the time.  

Jeremiah:  So probably interference from the coaster.  Let's move on to the photographs.  

Frodo: That was Ken and Nova.  (To Ken) Y'all better have found something.

 

Jeremiah (clicking through the photos):  Nothing outstanding.  Little bit of either backscatter or orb activity, but so far...  Whoa!  Will you look at that! 

Jeremiah:  Didn't you report feeling watched near the Raging Rapids, Nova? 

Nova:  Yes.  But where is that other one from?  Raging Rapids, also?

Kenna: The ride lights don't look anything like that, even if they had been on.  There wasn't, by any chance, a dance troupe with flashlights out there with us?

Esperanza: I'm way more interested in the white blob with the pink blob under it.  That second one could be backscatter. 

Kenna: It's inconsistent with the backscatter in the other pictures, though.  And there's connecting lines.

Peeta: Let's check the sensors and EVP attempts.  I want to see if Frodo and I got anything.  

Hagrid: It was weird how that one sensor kept falling over.  We got em weighted so they shouldn't do that.  

Jimin: Esperanza and I picked up temperature drops all over the place, but nothing dramatic.  These pictures and any possible EVPs are probably our only solid leads.  

Esperanza:  As far as we know.  We don't know what happened on Lottie's walk through or in the park history.  Jeremiah has to compare all the different sources before we know for sure. 

Jeremiah: Exactly, Esperanza.  All we know from any of that is that most reported activity is along the path we put the sensors by.  I was with Lottie, of course, on her walk-through, but neither of us has shared anything.

Peeta:  That's nice.  Can we get to me and Frodo's work? 

Ghosts and Gold Diggers

 Diana is finishing up her first day teaching at the college when a man enters. 

Jeremiah:  Diana Prince?  

Diana: Yes.  Can I help you with something? 

Jeremiah:  I hope so.  I'm the president of Doll County Paranormal.  We investigate claims of hauntings, with a scientific focus, and our current project is at Witch's Cove.  Are you familiar with this area at all? 

Diana: I graduated with Pocahontas.  And I believe you graduated with my brother Severus.  

 

Jeremiah (chuckles): Small world.  Anyway... we're putting together a video of this particular investigation, to sell in Witch's Cove's gift shops, and hoped to have an actual historian present the -- well, the history of the place.

Diana:  I hate to be rude, but it's been a long day and I just want to get home to my son.  Can I give you my card and we'll make arrangements? 

****

At The Point, a motel and campground on the south shore of Muneca Lake

William: I've been considering your proposal.  I'm sorry, but I just can't condone gold digging. 

Charlotte: It's not gold digging if it's honest.  I know many people look down on me, but Billy knew the entire time that I wouldn't have been with him if he was broke.  And Rayshawn isn't looking for that type of girl, anyway, they'd all be eliminated quickly. 

Rayshawn: Right.  You see those shows on TV, it's all hot tubs and cocktails, but my elimination criteria is gonna include working on renovating The Point and getting along with my kid.   Gold-diggers ain't into that kind of thing, are you, Charlotte? 

Charlotte: I prefer the term social climber, thank you very much.  

William: Wait.  You want to bring in a bunch of women with the marry a millionaire concept and then make them do manual labor?  

Charlotte: He's following my example.  This way he can focus on compatibility without wondering if she's faking interest to get at the money.  Rayshawn envies us because our marriage isn't based on deceit.  

William: I'm beginning to see some merit in this idea.  Would the child have a say in the matter?  Perhaps even act as one of the judges? That's an angle we haven't seen.  Father and son decide the elimination.  

******

Friday afternoon, DCP meets at the Overlook in Witch's Cove.

Jeremiah: OK, y'all, we need to get coordinated for this weekend's investigation.  HQ will be here, in the event venue, but of course we'll be spread out over the entire property.  But before we get started, Phoebe Guinness has news.

Phoebe:  I've submitted my paperwork for my doctorate.  Accredited schools don't have one for parapsychology, so it's actually in plain ole psych, but with a heavy focus on the para!  

Jeremiah: And welcome to the team Diana Prince and Esperanza Hernandez.  Diana is a history professor and will be acting as team historian, but Esperanza will be out in the field with us.  Remember, everyone, we do not scoff at rookie mistakes.  We once made them ourselves.  

Diana: May I say, whoever did the research for this specific project did an excellent job.  

Nakoma: That would be Phoebe.  She's currently employed in the park and therefore not allowed to take part in the field work.  Jeremiah's rules, not mine!  (To Jeremiah)  I'm here as park owner, to protect our legal interests.  

Diana (to Esperanza): That's Pocahontas?  She looks so young. 

Esperanza: Nakoma.  The younger sister.

Diana: Wow.  I'm really behind on my hometown gossip.

Everyone's Talking About Phoebe

 The management of Witch's Cove and Doll County Paranormal finally meet about the postponed investigation.  

Jeremiah: Of course, any current employee of the amusement park that is also on my team will not be a part of the on-site work.  That's to protect everyone involved from accusations of staging.  Phoebe did do the research into the history of the park, collection of lore, but she will not be here for the active investigation.

Pocahontas: I'm curious about how this actually works.  I've watched the TV shows, of course, but they seem to skip a lot of detail work.  Fill me in. 

Jeremiah: I'm sending you a detailed list of our techniques, but I can give you an overview.  For one thing, we use scientific methods to do this.  No spirit boards or seances - those are largely for show and very hard to analyze the results of.  The closest we come to any of those things is the use of a medium.  

Pocahontas: That was my next question.  Your medium is a child? 

Jeremiah: My daughter Lottie.  Her gift is what got me into all this in the first place.  Now, let me qualify this by saying she doesn't actually talk to the spirits or get possessed or any of those kind of things.  Her great-grandmother explained it to me as seeing a silent movie, except it's based on feelings instead of actually seeing anything.

Pocahontas: Kind of like how you can sense a person in the room without seeing or hearing them?

Jeremiah: That's a good comparison.  One very important aspect of our method is that no one on my active investigation team will know what Phoebe's research turned up.  That way we know our observations aren't tainted.  We compare all that after the fact.

Pocahontas:  I noticed that on one of those shows - they got an EVP that they decided was "he killed me" when it sounded to me like it said "leaking".  

Jeremiah: Exactly.  They probably knew it was a murder site, and were expecting it.  We go in without expectations.  

*******

A few miles away, at Barbieville Middle School.

Guinness: Since we've finished with this unit early, I'll give you the rest of the class time to study or talk quietly.  We'll have the unit test tomorrow. 

He ignores the quiet scraping of desks being pushed closer.

Courtney: Any drama at your house this weekend?  We just had the usual with Charlotte.

Wendy: Whitney and Dad got into a big screaming match.  He's still after her to come work at the station and she doesn't want to.  Even if he hadn't been such a jerk when she had Wilma, Whitney just doesn't have an interest in broadcasting.  

Courtney: I understand he's mad at her for getting pregnant so young, but really, Whitney's a grown woman now.  And he had nothing to do with her or Wilma for years. 

Wendy: He's still got nothing to do with Wilma.  I wish he'd just go back in the hole he crawled out of. 

Ginny: That brother of yours ever gonna ask Becky out?  

Claudia: I wish he'd date somebody.  He spends way too much time parenting me!  He works, and goes to those Kin As Parents meetings, and that's it.  I mean, I get that he wants to take care of me, but he acts like I'm six.  

Nikki: I thought he was still hung up on Phoebe?  That him and Becky are just friends? 

Ginny: I told Becky to ask him out, but she's like Nikki.  Thinks he wants Phoebe back. 

Claudia: Becky, Phoebe, I don't even care at this point.  I just want him to find someone else to hover over. 

Many/Mini Family Reunions

Sunburst has reopened for patio dining.  Barbieville followed the CDC guidelines from the start, despite actions taken at the state and federal levels, and as a result there has been very little incidence of the pandemic.  The town is reopening carefully.  (Side note for readers: Masks in Barbieville are invisible.  So says Barbieville's god.)

Brent: I'm glad you made it.  I was worried, especially since Esperanza was sick recently. 

Daisy:  Bertie wasn't about to pass up this job and Esperanza's been cleared by the doctors.  Thanks so much for connecting us to Mr. Darling.

Brent: That was Kyra.  She's determined not to let the personal issues touch on the professional.  He mentioned needing an anchor and she thought of Bertie.  I guess the interview went well? 

Bertie: He called all my references beforehand and grilled them.  The interview was basically him saying "here's what the job is, do you want it?"   My co-anchor is going to be a gal named Becky Weasley.  Do you know her?

Brent:  She just graduated college.  Got the job with WDLC and started house-hunting.  Maybe you and she could do that together.

Daisy: Oh, that might be fun.  We could get to know her better, you know?

Esperanza: I'm going inside to use the restroom.  Be right back.

Bertie (worried): She's not adjusting well at all.  They said her voice may never return to normal.

Daisy: She'll be okay, sweetheart.  We just have to keep reminding her that she can still act and dance. 

Brent: And now that you're here, Uncle Brent can help.  I have connections in this town, you know.  Not that we have much of an entertainment industry here.

Bertie: That amusement park doesn't do shows? 

Brent: They're probably not going to reopen this season.  Not only do we have a pandemic on, the owner just got married.  She's also in the middle of a complete rebranding.  Change of name, new and updated rides, all that jazz.  Maybe in the spring, if Esper still wants to try it. 

Esmeralda gets a surprise at table P2.

Esmeralda: Bapo!  You made it! 

Django: Why do you call me that, girl?  I'm not your grandfather. 

Esmeralda:  The day Four was born, that became your name.  Just like mine became Mom and Marcus's became Dad. 

Django:  We stopped at the house and Kevin said you and Tris were both here.  Are you busy?

Esmeralda: I am, but she's about to go on break.  I'll tell her you're out here. 

After hugs and a quick introduction to Jessie (one of Django's grandchildren and therefore a future cousin-in-law), Tris sits down to eat lunch.

Tris: I wasn't expecting you so early.  (to Jessie) Four's always spoken of you so fondly, I feel like I already know you. 

Jessie: There were... circumstances... behind our coming early.  Bapo's decided to stop wandering and open up a tattoo parlor here, with Four.  I tagged along to get away from a stalker.

Django: Stalker is a very harsh word.  What he is, is a very persistent suitor. 

Jessie: To-may-to, to-mah-to. Know any place that might hire a gal who's handy with a wrench? 

Later, Doll County Paranormal holds an informal meeting at the diner.  

Jeremiah: Jimin, hard at work as usual.  Big case coming up? 

Jimin: Case from Hell.  This woman is neglectful of her children and has a violent police record but is fighting for custody of her children.  

Nova: Charlotte Jackson? 

Jimin (chuckles): I can neither confirm or deny that.  After all the business the buffet lost this year, we really need the money this case is going to pay, but it's been a complete nightmare.

Phoebe: Hey, y'all!  Look who's back in town!  

Kenna:  Yep, got a job at that new TV station.  Bunking with her and Sylvia til I get a place of my own, but Mom and Dad think it's permanent.  I swear we'd all still live at home if they had their way.

Jimin: Welcome back, Kenna.  I've missed you. 

Kenna: She made me carry the research she's been doing on the cove.  This stuff weighs a ton! 

Jeremiah: The paranormal does all kinds of strange things to electronics.  Hard copy, not so much. (laughs) But you're right, a laptop would be easier to carry. 

Nova: Take a seat, ladies.  Put away the custody battle, lawyer boy.